Shifter
by angelrider13
Summary: Ever changing, ever shifting. Never constant. But that is all that is really wanted: a source of comfort, an anchor, a home, a family. So when the misguided child meets the Bat, can such a thing as "family" exist? AU, probable OOC, and an OC are involved.
1. Fear, Threats, and a Mystery

**Hello everybody! So this is based solely off of my personal** **knowledge of Batman. I don't read the comics, but I feel pretty good about the knowledge that I do have. This is also my first Batman/DC universe fic (I don't know why we all feel the need to say something like that).  
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**Anywho, this story is going to be a slight AU fic. I was originally intended as a oneshot...but it got kinda long...so it's a multi-chapter fic now. At most it will be four chapters long...probably.**

**This is actually going to be the first fic in a series set in the "Shifter" universe as I call it, based mostly on the Batfamily (because it's awesome!). I apologize for any OOC-ness, especially with Bats. I will also be including an OC in these fics, just a heads up.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**P.S. Robin is nine and has been Robin for about a year.**

**Now ONWARD!**

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><p>Fear.<p>

It was the only thing she felt; coursing through her veins, locking her feet in place. She opened her mouth, to cry out in surprise, to scream, to beg of mercy, but all of her words died on her trembling lips. The man looming before her regarded her silently, his masked eyes holding her in place as time seemed to stand still. The man had many names, all of which struck fear to the very core of her being.

The Caped Crusader.

The Dark Knight.

_Batman_.

Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't understand; Batman only came after criminals; she hadn't done anything wrong. She was only helping the people who had taken her in and off the streets. How was that bad? She hadn't done anything wrong!

_But you have done something wrong_. Whispered a voice in the back of her mind.

She clamped her eyes shut, trying to will away the fear, the guilt, the pain, the memories. A sudden explosion and the sound of a young boy calling out to the Dark Knight, and suddenly, time was moving again. Rough hands grabbed her from behind and threw her into the back of a van. The doors slammed shut, and the sound of tires screeching against pavement was the last thing she heard before her world went black.

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><p>"Batman…was that a girl?" Robin asked as he came to stand by his mentor. "She looked like she was my age."<p>

Batman frowned before turning on his heel and heading toward the batmobile, Robin following after a moment.

"Hey, wait!" he called, "Aren't we going after them?"

Batman shook his head. "No."

He had research to do.

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><p>"You ungrateful little brat!"<p>

A fist connected with her jaw, snapping her head to the side and knocking her back a few steps. She didn't say anything as the man in front of her continued to beat her. A woman and a teenage boy stood off to the side, watching the exchange, their smoldering eyes boring into the girl's small, vulnerable form.

"Well?" the man asked, "What's your excuse?" He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, hauling her up so she was at his eye level. The girl swallowed. Her body screamed in pain. They had never beaten her this bad before; she must have really messed. The only problem was, she couldn't figure out what she had done wrong. He shook her. "WELL?"

"B-Batman…h-he was t-th-there…"

"SO? You're a damned meta! You should have used your powers to take him out!"

Her eyes widened. "But Batman is a good guy." She said it so softly, he almost didn't hear.

"And we're criminals!" he yelled, shaking her to get his point across. She froze. _Criminals_…She felt her eyes fill with tears, not because of pain, but because of realization. In that back of her mind she had always known, but had never wanted to acknowledge what these people were, what she now was.

"B-but…"

"If Batman catches us, we'll be thrown in jail! Is that what you want? IS IT?"

He continued shaking her and her vision started blurring. She didn't know how long she would be able to stay conscious.

"Sam." The man finally stopped and dropped her to the ground with a heavy thud. He turned to the woman, who had walked up behind him. "If you keep this up, you'll kill her. And she isn't any use to us dead."

"I know, Joan, I know! But this brat doesn't understand! She just -"

"I know, baby." Joan said, placing a hand on Sam's arm. Sam stepped back as she walked toward the girl. Grabbing a fistful of her chocolate brown hair, Joan pulled up the girl's head so that green eyes met her own black ones. "Sophia," Joan said softly, Sophia gulped, Joan's voice may have been gentle, but it was emotionless and her eyes were cold, "if you let Batman take us to jail, then you won't have a home anymore. Is that what you want?"

Sophia's crimson eyes widened and she frantically shook her head, ignoring the fact that Joan still had a tight grip on her hair. To lose her home, no matter how bad it was, was her greatest fear. Joan tightened her grip on Sophia's hair, forcing the girl's terrified eyes to stay locked on her hard, cold expression.

"Then the next time you see Batman," she hissed, her voice low and deadly, "use your powers to end him."

Sophia's eyes widened in horror. They wanted her to _kill Batman_? Before she could fully process this, Joan threw her across the room, her already bruised and battered body slamming painfully into the wall.

"Harry." The teenage boy stepped forward. "Take care of her."

A cruel smirk tugged at Harry's lips. "Sure thing, Mom."

Sophia became dimly aware of Joan and Sam leaving the room and Harry walking up to her limp, helpless form. Harry's voice cut through the air, sending chills down her spine.

"Sweet dreams."

A sharp pain shot through her skull and then everything want black.

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><p>Bruce Wayne rested his elbows on the control panel of his computer, lacing his fingers together in front of his face as he re-read the results of his research. He found files on everyone but the one he wanted: the girl. She was different from the other three; the air around her was innocent, but fearful. Not malevolent or greedy like the others.<p>

"Got anything yet?"

Bruce leaned back in his chair as Dick came up to stand beside him. "Samuel and Joan Corson. They've been arrested and convicted before after a string of robberies. They primarily target priceless jewels. They made parole about sixteen years back, shortly afterward, Joan gave birth to a son named Harry. He has never been convicted before, but from what we've seen he is not innocent."

Dick raised an eyebrow. "What about the girl?" Bruce frowned. "Nothin' huh?"

"She is not part of their family, biologically or through legal means. My suspicion is that they took her off the streets. The question is why. The Corsons wouldn't take her in unless they had something to gain."

"Well they've been using her in their heists, so she must have some kind of skill." Dick said.

"She does." Bruce pulled up a tape from the security camera of the place the Corsons robbed last night. Dick's eyes widened as he watched the girl raise her hand and lift the guards off the ground.

"Telekinesis? She's a meta?"

Bruce nodded. "She's not you're run of the mill criminal that's for sure. But something about her is different…"

Dick rolled his eyes. "Well duh. She can make people float with her mind!"

Bruce leveled him with a look, Dick rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Did you see how she looked when we showed up?"

"Yeah. She was scared out of her mind, just like any other bad guy."

"It wasn't just that, Dick. She was _surprised_ when she saw us, like she wasn't expecting we would come after them, specifically her."

"Why the heck would she assume something like that?" Dick asked, raising an eyebrow and cocking his head to the side.

"If I may, Master Bruce," The Dynamic Duo turned to see Alfred approaching them with a tray of tea. Bruce and Dick each took a cup and drank, letting the warm liquid melt away some of the stress in their bodies. "If this girl was indeed taken off the streets, it would have been at a very young age. Perhaps she does not realize what she is doing is wrong."

Dick blinked and looked at Bruce, who had a contemplative look on his face. "The thought has crossed my mind…still, even if she is homeless, there should still be some sort of documentation on her."

"She doesn't have _any_?" Dick asked.

Bruce shook his head. "I've looked through the database for someone matching her description: age nine, long brown hair, green eyes. She doesn't come up. Meaning she has no records…"

"Or that isn't what she really looks like." Dick finished.

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><p><strong>Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnn...psych. I don't really think that is much of a cliffy, but it's the end of the chapter anyway, so deal! Let me know what you think and I will post the next part soon! ^^<strong>

**~Angel**


	2. Heros, Villains, and a Choice

**Yay! Second chapter! So I haven't decided if any other members of the Batfamily will make an appearance besides the Bat and the Robins, though they may be mentioned. They will probably not be included in this fic, but I haven't decided on the future ones yet.**

**So without further adieu, ONWARD!**

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><p>Sophia crept silently along the rooftop, keeping her eyes on Joan and Sam as they slipped into the museum. Harry, on the other side of the rooftop, had deactivated the security. The plan was simple; Joan and Sam would swipe the goods while Harry and Sophia kept a look out for the cops and Batman. Sophia silently prayed that the Dark Knight and Boy Wonder stayed far away from them. The Corsons were planning on their arrival and the possible outcomes did not look promising.<p>

Absently, she ran a hand through her now brown hair. She missed her natural appearance, but her new form allowed her to blend in better. Still, it had been years since she had looked at the world with her own face. She loved her abilities and the fact that they could be useful, but this was tiring. Always wearing a different face, always coming out at night for "work", never playing….she was nine years old for crying out loud!

She stood when she saw Sam slip out of the building, Joan close on his tail. Harry came up behind her and gave her a rough shove, making her wince. It had only been two days since their encounter with the Caped Crusader and her body had not fully recovered from her beating. She was sore and her movements were stiff and slow, resulting in Harry giving her a good whack every time she took too long.

A black shadow fluttered overhead and Sophia felt her stomach drop, a feeling of dread welling up inside of her. Next to her, Harry's face broke into a sickening grin.

"Show time," he whispered, sending chills down her spine.

The two made their way to the warehouse behind the museum where the older Corsons had fled, entering silently. After giving her a meaningful glare and a push forward, Harry disappeared into the shadows.

"_Then the next time you see Batman, use your powers to end him."_

Sophia squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists at her sides as Joan's words echoed through her head. She shook her head, trying to chase the words away.

"…_Batman….end him."_

She felt tears begin to prick at the corners of her eyes. Her breath came in gasps as she fought hysterics. Could she really do this? Could she kill someone? Could she kill _Batman_? Her hands started shaking as she buried her face in them. Batman was Gotham's hero. He protected the innocent and defeated the villains. She couldn't hurt him; he was only trying to do the right thing. But if she didn't, she would be on the streets again. Alone.

"…_end him."_

Tears started streaming down her face. It wasn't fair; she shouldn't have to make decisions like this! The fluttering of a cape caused her to turn. Behind her stood none other than Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo. Something in her snapped. Changing her arm into a whip, she lunged at them.

"Whoa! She's a shapeshifter too?" cried Boy Wonder as he dodged. Sophia glared at him and lashed out, narrowly missing his face. "Whoa, chill! We aren't here to fight you! We just wanna talk!"

Sophia stopped, her arm morphing back to normal. "You want to talk? Then you shouldn't have shown up!" She lunged at Batman, catching him offguard. "Why did you come here? Now I have to…I have to…It's not fair!" Batman caught both her wrists and held her, she immediately went still. "…It's not fair," she said softly, new tears streaming down her face. "I'm only nine. I shouldn't have to do stuff like this." Her knees gave out and Batman let her fall to the floor. She wrapped her arms around herself and cried. Batman knelt by her and placed a hand on her shoulder as Robin walked over to them. The touch shocked Sophia; it was surprisingly gentle. She looked up into Batman's masked eyes, her own still clouded with tears.

"So what's your name?" Robin asked.

She looked up at him, then at Batman. Batman hadn't removed his hand from her shoulder; he had a firm grip on her and part of her knew it was so she wouldn't run, but the grip made her feel safe. His grip was firm, but gentle, and surprisingly warm. She turned back to Robin.

"It's Sophia," she said softly, "Sophia Marie Ross."

Robin smiled at her. "It's nice. Pleasure to meet you."

Sophia surprised herself when she let out a watery chuckle. Robin's smile grew and she wiped her eyes. Batman removed her hand and slowly stood, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Are you supposed to say that to me? I thought we were enemies."

Robin shrugged. "You don't seem like you want to be our enemy. Besides, this is the first time we've met and I like to be polite." Batman shot him a look and Robin could see the raised eyebrow behind the cowl.

Sophia gave them a small smile, something she hadn't done in a long time, and shook her head. "You should leave. If you stay, something bad will happen."

"We're not leaving." The sound of Batman's voice made her jump; it was deep and stern and commanding.

Robin shrugged and put his hands behind his head. "We're heroes. Being in danger is in the job description."

Sophia shook her head again. "No, you don't understand. If you stay-" She cut herself off when the distinct clicking of a gun was heard up in the rafters. "MOVE!" She lunged forward and tackled Batman to the ground just as a shot was fired, the bullet grazing her thigh. Sophia didn't flinch as pain seared through her leg, adding to the flaring stiffness in her body. In the blink of an eye, she was up again, morphed into a cheetah and tackling Boy Wonder to the ground just as another shot went off. Sophia screamed as the second bullet entered her shoulder and she shifted back to her original form. She collapsed onto Robin's chest beneath her and bit her lip to fight back the tears.

Suddenly, time was moving again. Batman whipped out a batarang and threw it in the direction of the shots. He was rewarded with a cry of surprise and a muffled curse; Sophia vaguely registered that it was Joan that had been hit. Batman launched himself into the rafters, and soon the sounds of a struggle were heard.

Robin sat up, cradling Sophia's small body against his own. "Sophia? Hey, Sophia! Come on, wake up!" he cried as he shook her.

Sophia carefully reached up and put her hand over his. Robin immediately stilled. "Not so hard," she said, her voice tired and scratchy, "Hurts."

"No freaking duh." Robin said, his voice shaking slightly with relief. "You got shot twice!"

Sophia chuckled. "I'll live."

The two were snapped back to reality when a loud crash sounded above them. Robin stood, gently laying Sophia down and pulling out a grappling hook. "Time to go to work." He launched himself into to fray, leaving Sophia the only one left on the ground.

Slowly, Sophia sat up, clutching her shoulder in a feeble attempt to stop the pain coursing through her body. Breathing heavily, she began to feel exhaustion creep into her bones. Looking up, she shifted her eyes to those of a mink, allowing her to see through the darkness into the fight taking place above her head. She watched as Batman threw Sam over his shoulder and into Joan, causing them both to collapse on the rafters. Robin, meanwhile, was fighting Harry. Sophia frowned; Robin clearly had the upper hand, but Harry was getting desperate.

She watched as Harry fell from the rafters, rolling to the ground to avoid injuring himself, landing only a few feet away. She watched as Robin followed after him, jumping out of the rafters with amazing grace and agility. She watched as Harry lay still on the ground and Robin cautiously approached him. She watched, eyes widening in horror, as Harry pulled a knife out of his sleeve.

Unaware of the danger, Robin turned to her and smiled. "See? No trouble at all!"

That was when Harry moved. Panicking, Sophia reached out, screaming Robin's name as she felt fear for the boy surge into her veins. Robin's expression morphed into one of surprise as he jumped back to avoid Harry's lunge. Suddenly, Harry froze, hanging in mid-air. He trashed wildly, trying to free himself from invisible bonds. Robin relaxed slightly and turned to Sophia.

She was shaking, her arm still outstretched, almost as if she was reaching for him. Her eyes were wide with fear, though a spark of relief shone through the terror. Robin sent her a reassuring smile which she attempted to return.

Batman jumped down from the rafters, tossing the unconscious, hogtied crooks on the floor. Harry finally seemed to realize what was happening and turned to face Sophia. Her trembling stopped as she froze in terror at the glare on Harry's face.

"You bitch!" he yelled, his furious voice echoing off the walls, "After everything we've done for you, this is how you repay us! We took you in off the streets, gave you a home! Now that home is wrecked all because you couldn't take out a fucking Bat and his stupid bird!" Sophia started shaking again as tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Now we get to go to jail, just like Mom said! And you get to come with us and rot in a cell all ALONE!"

Sophia squeezed her eyes shut. "Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it! I didn't do anything wrong!" Her chest was heaving as she struggled to contain her sobs.

"Didn't do- are you a fucking moron, or what? You betrayed us! And because of you, my family is breaking up! It's all your fault, you bitch! It's because of you! Everything! It's all on your head! Just because you couldn't kill the people that would rip us apart! You fucking traitor!" Harry thrashed some more, still struggling as he screamed. "You think anyone will want you after this? They'll think you're a freak! They'll lock you away a do experiments on you! They'll keep you isolated and alone until you die!"

"SHUT UP!" Sophia screamed, slamming her hands over her ears. Her concentration broken, Harry fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Recovering quickly, he lunged at her, an animalistic roar ripping from his throat.

"Sophia!" Robin called out as he and Batman rushed toward the girl.

Sophia was jerked upwards, Harry's hands clamping around her throat. Surprised, her eyes flew open and she started to claw at his wrists, vainly trying to pull his hands away. Her breath came in short gasps and her vision started to go black.

"I'll kill you! Like Dad should have! Like Mom should have let him!"

And then the pressure on her neck was gone, Harry's hands ripped from her throat. She gasped as she hit the ground, partly because of the pain and partly because she could breathe again. Loud, gasping coughs escaped her as her chest heaved, hungry for air. Robin's face entered her field of vision and she felt his gentle hands pulling her into a sitting position. She saw Batman deliver a swift punch to Harry's jaw, knocking him out cold. He then turned to them and walked over, pressing a button on his utility belt as he did.

When he knelt by her, she was dimly aware of his hand gently probing her body, checking for injury, and treating her wounds. She was also aware of Robin whispering comforting words in her ear even though she couldn't hear them. Her eyes were locked on Harry's unconscious form, his words echoing in her head.

She was homeless again. She was on her own, be it on the streets or in jail. She was alone. Again.

That thought was enough to bring fresh tears to her eyes. She choked on a sob and clamped her eyes shut. A hand on her cheek made her open her eyes again. Robin was looking down at her, his lips pressed into a concerned frown.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, guilt overwhelming her.

Robin looked surprised. "For what?"

And that was all it took. Sophia collapsed onto Robin's chest, sobs wracking her small frame. Robin's hands came to rest on her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry…"

Batman gently placed a hand on her back, causing her to jerk up, her wild, grief stricken eyes coming to rest on his masked face. "Nothing that happened was your responsibility." Batman's voice was gruff, but there was a secureness in it that made Sophia relax. She leaned back against Robin's chest, letting her body go limp.

"But I-"

Batman held up a hand, silencing her. "It was not your responsibility." He repeated, his tone declaring the finality of the statement. Sophia stayed silent as he pulled out another roll of gauze and started wrapping the gash on her thigh. She let her head roll to the side and her eyes fell on the unconscious forms of the Corson family.

She thought of everything they put her through, everything she gave them. Knowing that she would no longer be welcome among them gave her a different perspective. They asked, no, _ordered_ everything of her and she got nothing in return, not even a kind word or sincere smile. She had tried so hard to be a member of their family, because that is all she ever really wanted, but in reality was nothing more than a pawn, a tool.

She sighed, releasing everything she had carried for the past four years.

"Holy-!"

Robin's cry of surprise snapped her out of her reprieve. "What?"

"Why did you change your appearance?"

Sophia turned to Batman, a look of confusion on her face. She reached up changing her hand into a mirror. Crimson eyes set in a face framed by silver locks stared back at her. "Oh," she said, changing her hand back, "this is what I normally look like."

"You're albino? Cool." Robin said, smirking.

"Why would you change your appearance?" Batman asked.

Sophia glanced at the Corsons before looking at her hands in her lap. "I…I wanted to belong."

Batman looked at her for a moment before scooping her up into his arms and standing. Robin stood with him, keeping his eyes on Sophia's prone form. Sophia noticed the flashing lights just as the police stormed the warehouse. Suddenly, she felt very tired. Batman watched her for a long moment.

"Sleep," he finally said, "We can take care of everything else."

So she did.

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><p><strong>So here we are. I'll try and have the next chapter up by next week (if fanfiction cooperates, cause lately it hasn't been -_-). I think this fic will be about fourfive chapters long, six at the most.**

**Until then!**

**P.S. REVIEW!**


	3. Orphans, Hospitals, and a Home

**O-Kay! Third chapter is up! Success!**

**It has occurred to me that I have yet to explain something about Sophia. She is the combination of two other OCs I've made up for two different stories, not sure if I will post them yet (one has a greater chance of being posted than the other), so this is just for future reference if you read another story I post and find that the character is really similar to Sophia. Okay now I'm rambling. I'll let you get to it. ^^**

** ONWARD!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly...I own nothing...**

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><p>The next morning, Bruce stood outside Sophia's hospital room with Dick and Commissioner Gordon. As they waited for the doctor to leave the her room, Bruce and Gordon stood off to the side talking while Dick sat a little ways away in one of the chairs lining the wall playing a game on his PSP.<p>

"So she has no family?" Bruce asked, even though he already knew the answer. With Sophia's name, he had been able to locate her files and had memorized her history. Of course he wasn't supposed to know that so he was playing the sympathetic billionaire that just so happened to hear about the discovery of a nine year-old-girl at the scene of a museum robbery that had been stopped by the Dynamic Duo.

Gordon shook his head. "None that we can find. We have records of her father's death four years ago, but no one has seen or heard from her mother for at least three years."

"So she's an orphan."

"For all intents and purposes, yes." Gordon answered.

"Such a shame. She's so young." Bruce said. Gordon nodded. "What's going to happen to her?"

"She'll be placed in foster care or an orphanage most likely. Unless someone steps forward to adopt her." Gordon paused and gave Bruce a look. "Mr. Wayne, you aren't thinking of-"

"Why not?" Bruce interrupted, "She has no where to go and Dick could use someone his age around the house."

Dick perked up at his name. "I'm getting a sister? Sweet!"

"Only if she agrees Dick."

"Alright, alright." Dick waved his hand in dismissal and Bruce resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

At that moment, the doctor came out of Sophia's room, quietly closing the door behind him. Bruce and Gordon turned toward him while Dick looked up from his video game.

"Dr. Wesley," Gordon greeted, "How is she?"

Dr. Wesley sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's stable," he said at least, causing the others to release a sigh of relief, "but there is so much damage, we're not sure how well she will recover."

"How much?" Bruce asked.

The doctor sighed again. "Besides the gash in her thigh and the bullet wound in her shoulder, she has a major concussion, along with several cracked ribs. She has major bruising on her stomach, though, luckily, there was no internal bleeding, as well as her throat. We suspect the damage done to her throat my affect her vocal chords; she may not be able to speak for anywhere between several hours to several days. There are also signs of past abuse, scars and such, though they appear to have healed well enough on their own that they will not cause any lasting damage."

Silence reined in the hallway for several moments as everyone digested what was said. Bruce was the first to recover.

"May we see her?"

Dr. Wesley nodded. "When she wakes up, you may."

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><p>Sophia woke to the sound of muffled voices.<p>

When she opened her crimson eyes, she found herself staring at a wall of white. Blinking, adjusting to the light, she turned her head, taking in her surroundings. White walls, white celling, a large window on the far wall covered by shades….was she in a hospital? She had never been in one before, but this place seemed like a hospital.

What happened last night?

Sophia remembered the failed heist, the fight, her siding with Batman and Robin, Batman holding her and telling her to sleep, Batman telling her that he would take care of everything…

Sophia's heart stung. Would she ever see them again? The Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder had treated her like she mattered. They were the first to look at her like she was a person since her dad.

The voices outside her door started talking again. Sophia started to sit up, but felt a sharp stinging pain in her chest. She let out a strangled cry of surprise and lay back down. Whoever was outside her door must have heard her, because the talking stopped. After a minute, the door opened, revealing a man with copper hair, a mustache, and glasses. Behind him was another man and a boy that looked to be about her age, both with black hair and strikingly blue eyes.

Her own crimson eyes widened. They smelled just like…no, it wasn't them. It couldn't be. She wasn't going to let herself get her hopes up. The man with glasses walked in and took the chair next to her bed while the other two stood just inside the door, closing it behind them.

"Good morning, young lady," said the man with glasses, "I'm Commissioner Gordon. How are you feeling?"

Sophia tore her eyes away from the other occupants of the room and turned to the Commissioner. That meant he was with the police. She began to panic. Was she in trouble? Was he going to send her to jail? But he was being nice and asking how she felt. Maybe she wasn't in trouble.

She opened her mouth to answer his question only for no sound to come out. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to her throat, ignoring how her body protested at the sudden movement.

Gordon saw her panic and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. The doctor said that your throat may be a little sore after everything that's happened. Your voice should come back in a few days."

Sophia relaxed some and nodded slowly. She tried to sit up only to have Gordon gently push her back down; she tried to protest, but again, no words escaped her mouth.

"Do you remember anything the happened?" he asked.

She furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to concentrate on the blurry images playing behind her eyes. She couldn't remember many details, but she remembered all of the important parts: her betrayal, Batman and Robin protecting her….

She nodded slowly, holding up her hand to gesture that she remembered some. The Commissioner nodded. "Batman found you in the warehouse where the fire-fight took place. He turned you over to us after the criminals had been placed under arrest, by then you were unconscious." Sophia nodded, showing she understood. "What were you doing in the warehouse?"

Sophia's eyes widened. What was she supposed to do? Tell him that she was helping rob the place but didn't want to be a criminal, so she switched sides? She looked at the raven haired man standing on the other side of the room. His face was calm, betraying nothing, but his eyes were alert. He held a finger to his lips. Sophia blinked, but inclined her head slightly to show she understood. Her eyes moved back to the Commissioner as he asked another question.

"Were you staying there?"

Sophia knew he meant as in "living" there. Seeing as she was now homeless anyway, she nodded. Seeming satisfied with her answer, he stood.

"Very well then, Miss Sophia," he said, "I have to head back to the station to get some paperwork done. I'll drop by to ask you more questions when you are feeling a little better. Okay?" Sophia nodded, giving the man a small smile and a wave as he left the room.

When he was gone, she turned back to the raven haired man and boy. They had moved to her bedside when she wasn't looking. They smiled at her and she returned with a shy one her own. She felt that familiarness again…they really did have the same scent as…no she wouldn't get her hopes up.

"Hello Sophia," said the man, "My name is Bruce Wayne. This is my ward, Richard Grayson." He placed a hand on the shoulder of the boy, who smiled up at her in a friendly manner. "Hi! You can call me Dick."

Shyly, Sophia waved, having no other way of returning the greeting.

"Sophia," she turned back to Bruce, who was looking at her kindly, "How would you feel about staying with us?" Sophia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah!" Dick exclaimed, "We could stay up late, play video games, I could teach you how to do a somersault, oh! And Alfred can make us cookies! He's an awesome cook!" Dick was practically bouncing up and down he was so excited.

Sophia managed a smile, but it faded as she reached out and grabbed the boy's wrist. Dick calmed down and looked at her, curiosity lighting his bright blue eyes as he noticed her hopeful expression. She opened her lips again, finally managing to force a hoarse, barely audible whisper to escape her throat.

"Robin?"

Dick froze, a look of shock on his face. His head whipped around to look up at Bruce, whose face was blank as he stared down at Sophia's hopeful eyes. Slowly he placed a hand on her head, a small smile on his lips. "You are safe now, Sophia. Nothing was your fault and you have nothing to be afraid of."

Sophia's eyes widened and she felt the beginnings of tears prick at the corners of her crimson orbs. Her grip on Dick's wrist tightened and she saw the boy smile out of the corner of her eye.

"So," Dick began, his smile widening as Sophia turned back to him, "Did you think you can handle living with a bird and a bat?"

Sophia blinked, stunned, before she chucked hoarsely, tears streaming down her cheeks as she nodded. She pulled Dick into an embrace and grabbed Bruce's hand, expressing her thanks and joy. The two smiled, Bruce giving her hand a gentle squeeze and Dick wrapping the girl up in his arms.

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><p>Sophia stared, open mouthed, at the sight of the mansion in front of her. It was HUGE. The biggest house she had ever seen.<p>

"Pretty big, huh?"

Sophia nodded and she heard Dick laugh next to her before a hand was placed on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he said, "you get used to it." When he noticed that she was still staring, he took her hand and started pulling her toward the front door. "Come on, I'll show you around. Bruce can get the stuff we bought for you. I'll introduce you to Alfred!"

A smile spread across her face. She squeezed Dick's hand and his grip tightened on hers as he pulled her up the stairs toward the door.

It had been ten days since she had woken up in the hospital. Having been released earlier that day, she had been surprised to find that Bruce had gone out and bought her an entire wardrobe, complete with shoes and accessories. For the first time in a long time, she was wearing clothes that fit properly, that were not worn and torn, and were clean. It felt nice.

When they reached the front door, it opened before Dick could touch the handle. In the doorway stood an elderly man with a suit. Sophia shyly ducked behind Dick's shoulder, sneaking a glance at the man from a safe distance. The man looked nice enough, but she had learned to be cautious.

"Welcome home, Master Richard," the man said in a British accent, his eyes turned to her and she shrank back. She felt Dick squeeze her hand reassuringly. "And this must be Mistress Sophia."

Sophia looked up at Dick. He smiled and nodded. She stepped away from Dick a little and nodded. The old man smiled. "Very good then. My name is Alfred, I am the butler here at Wayne Manor.

Sophia managed a small smile on her face before whispering, "It's nice to meet you."

Alfred's smile widened. "Would you care for some snacks?"

Dick's eyes lit up. "Cookies?"

"Yes, Master Richard. Cookies."

"Yes!" Dick exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. He then proceeded to drag Sophia through the door. "Come on, Soph! You have got to try these cookies! Alfred makes the best!"

Alfred watched in amusement as the two nine-year-olds vanished into the house. When he turned back, he saw Bruce walking up the stairs with a single suitcase.

"Master Richard seems to be quite happy," Alfred stated.

Bruce smirked. "You could tell?"

"Indeed, Master Bruce." Was the serious response as the two men walked into the house.

Meanwhile, Dick had led Sophia to the kitchen and was grinning from ear to ear as she tried the first cookie. They were still warm and melted in her mouth. Her eyes widened and she turned to Dick.

"They're good!"

Dick smirked. "Told ya."

"I am glad you like them, Mistress Sophia."

The two turned to see Alfred standing in the door way to the kitchen, Bruce right next to him. Sophia smiled shyly at them. "Thank you."

Bruce returned her smile with one of his own. "Welcome home, Sophia."


	4. Nightmares, Tea, and a Family

**Okay! Chapter 4 is up! YAY! XD**

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><p>It had been several months since Sophia had moved into Wayne manor and she was adjusting well. In the weeks prior to her release from the hospital, Bruce had introduced her to the family doctor, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, who had taken care of her injuries and rehabilitation. Initially, she had been wary of the woman, but after seeing that Dick and Bruce trusted her completely, she had started to warm up to her. She was incredibly gentle and never pushed her into anything she wasn't ready for. After the first week, Sophia found herself looking forward to Dr. Thompkins coming over to check on her. It wasn't until Dick mentioned the doctor's coming over was like getting a visit from grandma that Sophia realized that's what the woman had become. Upon realizing this, she realized that the old butler had earned a similar place in her heart.<p>

Alfred would sit with her while she waited for the other two members of the family to return from patrol. He taught her how to play chess and checkers, how to clean, how to treat injuries, and (to her extreme delight) how to cook. She had never done any such thing before and found herself enjoying learning the little tricks Alfred showed her. She would listen with rapt attention when he told stories ranging from Bruce's childhood to Batman's exploits and back again. When she made her first batch of cookies, all by herself (with some help from Alfred of course), Sophia practically glowed when he told her they were delicious. She then left to give some to Bruce and Dick only to return about ten minutes later and tackle the old butler in a hug. She thanked him over and over again, because the Dynamic Duo said they liked her cooking and that she did a good job. It was only then that she realized that she had slipped up and called him "Grandpa" instead of by name and looked up at him sheepishly. Alfred had smiled down at her, pat her head, and told her that of course they would like cookies made by such a talented and beautiful young lady. She had blushed at the praise and shyly asked if he would like to share some cookies with her, to which he said yes.

Dick and Sophia had become practically inseparable. They had decided, much to Bruce and Alfred's amusement, that they would be twins even though they looked nothing alike (Dick with black hair and blue eyes and Sophia with white hair and red eyes, they were complete opposites), nor were they related, after Bruce had revealed to them that they had been born on the same day, only minutes apart. When she finally started school, after a few weeks of private tutoring curtsey of Dick (with some help from Bruce and Alfred), Bruce made sure that they were in the same class, even though Dick was two grades ahead and she was still catching up. On the nights that he wasn't patrolling, Dick would sneak across the hall into her room, or her to his, and the pair would hide under the covers, playing games, reading books, or just talking until they either fell asleep or Alfred caught them (it was usually the later, cause, hey let's face it, nothing gets past Alfred). Dick even started training her, teaching her different flips as well as some martial arts moves he had learned from Bruce. They acted just as any twins did, speaking in unison and finishing each other's sentences, getting each other out of trouble, or in which ever the case may be. They rarely fought, though when they did, neither was capable of holding a grudge and five seconds after their argument ended they went right back to joking and playing, laughing like the fight never happened.

Sophia took to Bruce immediately, much to his surprise. Whenever she had a nightmare, which was quite often in the earlier weeks, she would sneak into his bed and curl into his side, falling asleep with a small smile on her face before he could even ask what was wrong. When he came back from patrol, she would run forward and wrap her small arms around his waist and smile up at him before giving a similar treatment to Dick. He also noticed that she liked to hide in his cape and would use it as a blanket, curling into his lap or clinging to his leg as he worked at the computer. He didn't miss the way her eyes would light up every time he ruffled her hair or the way a pleased blush would spread across her cheeks when he complimented her on something. The first time he came home injured, he expected her to panic, cry, pass out, anything other than calmly help Alfred patch him up while she wrapped Dick's wounds on the side. She seemed to have fully adapted to their double life and found it completely normal. The first time she attended a charity ball, she clung to his leg, shy and trying to hide from the many people in the room. He couldn't keep the amused, yet proud, smile off his face as he watched Dick pull her away to teach her how to dance.

Sophia was amazed to find that over the course of a few months, she had managed to find a grandmother, grandfather, brother, and father. For the first time in a long time, she had a home, a family.

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><p>"<em>DADDY!"<em>

"_Don't worry Daddy! My powers will fix you; I can make you better!"_

"_No, Angel. I won't work…don't worry, Sweetheart…everything will be fine…come on, Angel…Smile for…me smile for…Daddy…"_

"_I c-can't!"_

"_Of…of course you…can…Angel…T-that's my girl…"_

"_Daddy? Daddy, wake up. Daddy this isn't funny! Daddy, wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP! DADDY! DADDY!...Please, Daddy, please wake up…"_

"_WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"_

"_I didn't-"_

"_YOU KILLED HIM!"_

"_Mommy, it wasn't-"_

"_YOU MONSTER!"_

Sophia shot up in bed, gasping, tears streaming down her cheeks. It had been a long time since she had that nightmare. Almost two years now. Perhaps because other terrors had held her captive at night.

Slowly, Sophia got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom connected to her room. She was wearing the thin, sleeveless, ankle-length, blue Bruce had gotten her the day she was released from the hospital. She washed he face before taking in her reflection. Her eyes were still red and puffy, though the tears had been washed away.

Bruce and Dick were still out on patrol, she couldn't hide in Bruce's bed, he wasn't there to keep the dreams at bay. Instead, she wandered the halls, her feet bringing her to the kitchen.

"Mistress Sophia, what are you doing up?"

She jumped at the voice, turning and seeing Alfred standing over by the stove, a kettle in his hands.

"I…um…well…" she shuffled shyly, fisting her hands in her nightgown. It had been weeks since her last nightmare. She thought she had finally escaped them; she didn't want to admit that they were keeping her awake again. Alfred saved her from having to answer.

"Well, I do believe that Master Bruce and Master Richard shall be returning shortly," he said, pouring the steaming water from the kettle into a tea pot resting on the butler's trusty silver platter. "Perhaps you would care to assist me in preparing some tea for them?"

Sophia gave a small smile, making her way over to her grandfather figure. With practiced ease, she carried a tray of freshly baked cookies down to the Batcave while Alfred carried the tray with the tea. After setting the tray down, Sophia bounced over to the large chair in front of the computer and sat down, curling into a little ball.

"Mistress Sophia," she looked up to see Alfred standing in front of he with a cup full of warm tea, "is there something you wish to discuss?"

Sophia took the cup and, with both hands, held it to her lips, inhaling the steam rising off of the liquid before taking a small sip. She held the cup in her lap, tracing its edges for a moment before looking up at Alfred. "Alfred," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "do…do you think I'm a…a monster?"

"Good heavens, of course not," Alfred said, clearly startled, making Sophia look up at him, "Why on Earth would I think something like that?"

Sophia ducked her head again. "Cause…I'm different. Cause I can do things that other people can't and it scares people."

Before Alfred could respond, the roar of an engine filled the cave and the pair turned to see the Batmobile come to a stop. Batman and Robin jumped out, and started walking over to them. Robin's face was lit up by a huge grin and even Batman's face showed some amusement.

"Oh yeah!" Robin exclaimed as he took off his mask, becoming Richard Grayson again. "We totally kicked Riddler's butt! Bruce did you see the way he-" He cut off when he saw Sophia and Alfred, his grin slowly curving into a frown when he saw Sophia's puffy eyes.

Sophia caught them looking and quickly looked down at her lap.

Bruce turned to Alfred as he pulled down his cowl; the butler held up a hand as he knelt by the girl.

"Mistress Sophia," he said, his voice soft and gentle, "I can assure you that no one in this house feels that way. We are not scared of you, nor do we think you are a monster."

Bruce's eyes widened and Dick had Sophia in his arms faster than anyone in the room could blink. Alfred quickly took her tea cup before it spilled, placing it back on the tray.

"We would _never__** ever**_ think you were a monster," Dick said, tightening his hold on her. She was looking at Bruce over his shoulder, her crimson eyes wide. Bruce nodded silently and she felt her eyes start stinging again. "We didn't think that when we met you and we won't think it a million years from now."

Dick pulled back some and Sophia moved to the side allowing him to slide into the seat next her. She curled into him as Bruce kneeled in front of them, his face solemn.

"Why would you think that Sophia?" he asked.

Sophia looked at him, her eyes sad. "My mommy thinks I'm a monster." She said it so softly, but it managed to echo in through the cave. Suddenly she smiled, it was small, but it was there. "But not my Daddy. He called me his angel."

Bruce placed a hand on her knee as Dick nuzzled her hair and Alfred stood to the side, watching and offering silent support. "You miss him."

Sophia nodded. "I had a nightmare. I saw him die. Again."

Dick's arms tensed and he pulled her even closer, clinging to her in an almost desperate manner.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bruce asked.

Sophia was silent. Bruce was about to tell her that it was okay if she didn't want to tell them when she started speaking.

"I don't really remember much about when it happened," she said slowly, her brow furrowing, "but I think I was five or something." Bruce nodded and she continued. "It was just me and Daddy at home. Mommy went to the grocery store, I think. He was playing tea party with me in my room when our doorbell rang. He went to get it and said he'd be right back," Sophia's eyes darkened, "After a few minutes, I heard yelling and something break, so I went downstairs." She started shaking, hands fisted tightly in her lap. "Daddy was fighting with a man. They were yelling things at each other, I don't remember what. Then the man pulled out a gun." Bruce tensed at the mention of the weapon. "I remember yelling at Daddy to watch out. There was a loud bang and then Daddy was on the floor…and he was…_bleeding_…there was so much of it…I just couldn't…I just stared…so much blood…" Dick rubbed his hands across her shoulders and back and ran his fingers through her hair, his own memories play through his mind as he did so. It seemed to calm her some."

"And then the man was in front of me. And his gun was pointed at my head." She took a shaky breath. "I don't remember what he looked like, but his eyes were so…cold…so dark and angry. He said that he was going to kill me, just like he did my daddy. And then…everything…went black. I don't really know what happened. But when I woke up again, the man was on the ground on the other side of the room. And he wasn't breathing." She swallowed. "I think that I…_killed_ him." She said softly, her voice barely audible. The air in the room became tense, but relaxed slightly when Sophia began speaking again. "Daddy made a noise, so I ran over to him. He was still bleeding, so I told him that I would use my powers to fix him, make him better. I didn't know back then that my powers couldn't do that," she said, almost bitterly.

"He said it wouldn't work, but he told me everything would be alright," she started shaking again as tears flooded her eyes. "He asked me to smile for him. And when I did…he…he di…" Sophia cut herself off with a sob. Dick quickly shushed her and rested his cheek on her head. She calmed some. "And then Mommy came home…and she…she thought I did it. She called me a monster."

Bruce's eyes were wide with shock. "Your _mother_ thought it was _you_?" his voice losing a bit of its calm edge.

Sophia nodded. She suddenly looked very tired. "I don't think she ever really thought of me as her daughter. Whenever I used my powers…she looked…scared. She would never hold me either. And she never seemed to want to be in the same room as me…she always found something else to do. She never told me she loved me." She finished in a whisper.

"Because of your powers?" Dick asked softly.

"I was born with them. I don't think she ever…accepted them." Sophia said with a sigh. "But maybe I didn't love her either. She was a stranger to me."

"You have us now, Soph." Dick said, smile on his face. "We love you just the way you are."

Bruce nodded. Sophia smiled "Thank you."

Alfred cleared his throat. "Well, Mistress Sophia, I do believe the tea has gone cold. Would you be so kind as to help me prepare another batch while Master Bruce and Master Richard change?"

Sophia jumped up beaming. "Of course!"

The two vigilantes watched as she climbed the stairs with the butler, hearing her conversation with the man echo off the cave walls. Dick turned to face his guardian.

"Bruce? She is going to stay with us, right? I mean, we can be her family now, can't we?"

"If she lets us, Dick. If she lets us."

Upstairs, Sophia was having the same thought. Would they mind if she thought of them as family? Would her Dad be okay with it?

Her train of thought was interrupted by the entrance of Bruce and Dick. They were out of uniform, both wearing a simple t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. Sophia smiled at them and handed them each a cookie as Alfred poured everyone some tea. The all listened as Dick retold the night's events, everything from breaking up Riddler's operation to stopping a few muggers.

The whole time, Sophia wondered. Was she part of the family? It wasn't until Dick fell silent and the three males turned to look at her that she realized she had asked the question out loud. She blushed and started to stammer in her rush to explain, when Bruce calmly interrupted her.

"Do you want to be?"

That was all he asked. Nothing to try and sway her one way or the other, nothing in his expression to give him away. His face was completely calm, waiting for her answer. Dick, on the other hand, was staring at her, blue eyes wide with hope, hands tightly clutching the tea cup in front of him. Alfred's face remained impassive for the most part, until he noticed her looking at him. He gave her a small reassuring smile.

Sophia turned back to Bruce and, in a small voice asked, "Can I be?"

Bruce nodding and gave her a smile of his own. "If you want to be."

Sophia nodded. "I do."

The next day, when Bruce showed her the adoption papers, she started crying. But this time out joy. It was official. She, Sophia Marie Ross-Wayne, had a home. She had a family.

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><p><strong>One more chapter after this! Please review!<strong>


	5. Epilogue, Thugs, and a Vigilante

**Hey everyone! So Shifter got its first flame the other day! It was AWESOME! (note the sarcasm people, note it!) Thank you, DramaQueen95! You really are just that, a drama queen.**

** I honestly don't understand flamers. I mean I get not liking a story and then offering constructive criticism, but flaming just seems like a waste of time. For one thing, if you don't like the story, why read it in the first place? And then why waste more of YOUR time telling me that you don't like my story and then start wasting MY time. I mean really, what is the point? If you don't like the story, don't read it, simple as that. You don't have waste your time and my time calling me a bitch and asking me if I'm egotistical or sadistic (which I don't get at all by the way). I don't really know about you, but I have better things to do with my time than read a bunch of whiny insults from some jackass that wants to feel better about themselves by anonymously bashing someone's work because they can't write their own damn story.**

** The review was removed and any future flames will meet the same fate. I do not have the time or the patients to deal with something so childish.**

** Now on another note, I'm sorry to everyone out there who is enjoying the story and has reviewed in a positive manner. This is, unfortunately, the last chapter of Shifter. So, without further adieu, ONWARD!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, 'sept Sophia**

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><p>"Hurry up, man. The cops'll be here any second now!"<p>

"You dumbass! It's not the cops we gotta worry about. It's that damn bat!"

"Shut up! We don't have time for you two to argue! Grab the crap and let's get the hell outta here!"

The three grabbed their bags before making a break for the door. As soon as they were outside the jewelry store, a child's voice cut them off.

"You guys are the loudest robbers I've ever seen! I mean you didn't even try to turn off the alarm!"

The three men cursed, frantically looking around and pulling out guns, as the voice cackled at their panic. When they finally decided to look up, they saw a hooded figure crouched on the roof of the jewelry store. Upon seeing that it wasn't the Bat the crooks gained some confidence. The first man stepped forward, gun aimed, safety off, at the figure.

"Who the hell are you?"

The figure jumped down, landing a few feet in front of them. No longer in the shadows, the figure pulled down her hood. The thugs gapped at what they saw, a girl that couldn't possibly be older than ten stood in front of them wearing a black full-body suit that covered everything from the neck down, fingers and feet included. A silver utility belt hung snuggly around her waist and a hooded, black cape wrapped around her shoulders. Her hair and eyes were as dark as the night sky, making the pale, ivory of her skin stand out. The men scoffed.

"Isn't a little late for you to be out, girly?"

The girl shrugged. "Meh. It's only eleven. 'Sides, I got time to kill before I have to meet back up with the big man."

"Yeah, whatever, kid." The third man growled, growing irritated with how much time they were wasting. "We don't really care who your boss is or who you are. Come on boys, we gotta bail." He turned to leave when a whip suddenly lash out wrapping around his ankle and pulling him to the ground. "What the hell?"

The men stared, paling as they saw the girl's arm morph back into its regular shape.

"Sorry," she said, not at all sounding like she meant it, "but the big man wouldn't be too happy if I let you guys go. You know how bosses are, but man, don't even get me started on the Bat." The thugs' eyes widened and the girl face-palmed. "I totally forgot to introduce myself! Sorry! I'm the Shifter, Batman's newest protégé. Now I know this isn't the best way to start a relationship and all, but I have to take you to jail now."

Needless to say, all of Gotham soon knew about the existence of this newest vigilante.

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><p>As Sophia entered the Batcave, she let her facial features shift back to normal, moonlight silver locks and crimson orbs replacing the midnight black. Nervously she turned to the silent Bat next to her.<p>

"Soooooooo…how did I do?" she asked, rubbing her arm self-consciously.

Batman looked at her, eyes narrowing. "You left too many openings in your defense," Sophia winced, "but other than that you did well. For your first time out."

Sophia smiled and Robin threw an arm over her shoulders. "Well now it's officially official," he said, "Welcome to the Bat family."

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><p><strong>Well that's the end. I know, it was short, but it is what it is. The next story in this universe will be called 'Talon' so look for it! Thanks so much to everyone who read my story! ^^<strong>

**~ Angel**


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